We’ve reached a point where the best folding phones and the best PC gaming handhelds are both mature. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Asus ROG Ally X represent some of the best their respective categories have to offer. I’ve spent the last week using the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it’s an impressive device. The phone has a gorgeous screen, impressive performance, and great software, just to name a few of its pleasantries. Surprisingly, it’s an outstanding device for gaming, especially if you pair a foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with the right accessories.
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But can a folding phone really beat a PC gaming handheld? I think it can, as long as you give it a fair shot. Foldables are never going to match the performance and native compatibility of handhelds such as the ROG Ally or Steam Deck. However, they do a lot of things well, and might be preferred by people who want one device to rule them all.
5 Great software
The Android development community is vast and creative
The reason this conversation is even possible is due to the fantastic software support you’ll find on Android-based devices. For starters, the Android development and enthusiast communities are massive and active, perhaps even rivaling their PC gaming counterparts. That’s how you can emulate desktop games and operating systems on Android phones, including foldables, with software tools like Mobox and Winlator.
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Desktop game emulation is just the tip of the iceberg. Android has a slew of mobile games available on the Google Play Store, like Call of Duty: Mobile, that are great to play on the go. More are available via sideloading, like Fortnite. My favorite way to play games on Android is either retro game emulation or cloud gaming. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: cloud gaming is better than you think. As long as your internet or network connection is solid, you can play full console or PC games on your folding phone with no problems.
4 Excellent display quality
Foldable displays can beat even the best dedicated gaming handhelds
Foldable displays are somehow massively underrated. We often hear about their durability issues, plasticky feel, and visible crease. What we don’t hear about is how great they look, especially compared to their PC gaming handheld equivalents. Even the best PC gaming handhelds, like the Lenovo Legion Go or Steam Deck OLED, have displays with fairly large bezels and relatively low resolution. For example, the 1,200×800 resolution of the Steam Deck OLED is paltry compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s 2,160×1,856 resolution.
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I’d rather play games on the bright, colorful, and crisp displays of the foldable phones I own than the dated equivalents on my Steam Deck or ROG Ally. Folding phones have OLED panels, high resolutions, and high variable refresh rates. All the boxes are checked, and these great features add up to create a fantastic gaming experience.
3 Rich accessory ecosystems
With the right controller, your foldable can have better ergonomics than a handheld
By itself, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 — or any folding phone for that matter — is no match for a PC gaming handheld. But throw in a few great accessories, and foldables can strongly compete with dedicated gaming devices. The vast Android accessory ecosystem opens up a lot of possibilities, from power banks, to cooling fans, to hardware controllers. I think we’ve reached the final form of mobile controllers with the Razr Kishi Ultra.
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It feels fantastic in the hand with microswitch buttons, satisfying joysticks, and great ergonomics. It’s basically an Xbox Wireless controller that can hold your folding phone in the middle, but better than what Microsoft is offering. There’s also RGB, USB-C passthrough, and a headphone jack. From a purely ergonomic perspective, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 paired with a Razer Kishi Ultra is the best modern handheld gaming experience I’ve had.
2 Unmatched versatility
Foldables can be phones, tablets, handhelds, or really anything else
The strength of folding phones is not their gaming performance alone; it’s their ability to do many more things well. When you invest in a device like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the OnePlus Open, you’re buying into the idea of a do-it-all device that can replace many devices in your daily carry. That likely includes your phone, tablet, and perhaps a gaming handheld too. In particular, the OnePlus Open has a feature called Open Canvas that makes it a killer multitasking and productivity device.
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Foldables are also ideal for content consumption on the go, as well as gaming, for the reasons we’ve already mentioned. If we’re just comparing gaming performance, PC gaming handhelds will snuff foldables every single time. However, when you look at folding phones holistically, you’ll realize that they are multipurpose devices that happen to be great at gaming, plus many other things.
1 Supreme portability
Foldables are so much thinner than a bulky handheld
If there’s one tech mantra I live by, it’s that products are only useful if they’re with you when you need them. This is precisely why I think folding phones have the potential to beat PC gaming handhelds, even if they fall short on the spec sheet. Foldables are thin enough to fit in your pocket, meaning you can pull them out and unfold them at any time. Need to kill a few minutes waiting for the bus? Take out your Galaxy Z Fold 6. Waiting in the doctor’s office? Unfold the OnePlus Open.
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Due to the big and bulky size of PC gaming handhelds, I usually only use them at home or on airplanes. I’d never pull them out while waiting for a train or an appointment, mostly because they’re way too heavy to be in my bag all day. Foldables are better because they’re small, you can take them anywhere, and quickly start gaming when you have spare time.
Which should you buy?
The choice of whether to buy a PC gaming handheld or a foldable really depends on your needs and expected use cases. No one is doubting the power, performance, and compatibility benefits that come with using something like a Steam Deck or ROG Ally. In fact, I’ve never gotten more performance out of a handheld device than when I tested the new ROG Ally X.
But for some, the benefits that come with a foldable are more appealing. The versatility, software, and portability aspects are enticing. You should consider a foldable if you value having a gaming device that can come with you anywhere, but other form factors are certainly worth a look as well.
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source: https://www.xda-developers.com/5-ways-foldable-phone-beat-pc-handheld-gaming/
